anxiety problem?

So I have a 2yr old. It was an unexpected pregnancy. After I had my son I thought I was experiencing the "baby blues" random over whelming feeling of sadness and crying. It died down when he was about a month old. However by the time he was 2months old Im pretty sure I started dealing with postpartum depression. I felt sad and lonely.. I guess I was in denial because it would only hit me at night and I'd be ok during the day. Ive always been embarassed about it for some reason. I think its because everyone sees me with a smile on my face and happy all the time. Anyways. I feel like I fought off the depression by staying active and trying to eat healthier. Every now and then something will trigger it and ill be depressed but ive just learned to deal with it. So for the past year now I have been dealing with what I call "dizziness" I feel off balance on and off thru out the day my vision also feels off. Almost as if I'm on a boat or something. I also have really bad anxiety and get panoc attacks often. Sometimes ill be scared for no reason at all..I'm paranoid all the time and I hate it.. I even have gone to the dr about this dizziness problem but haven't mentioned my anxiety or anything and they did blood work and everything came back normal. I need help! I can't take this dizziness feeling anymore. Its kept me from doing so much. Has anyone ever experienced these symptoms?

The following user gives a hug of support to plainjane22:
escapegirl08 (01-21-2013)

I'm sorry to hear you are having a rough time! While I obviously can't experience pregnancy myself ;-), I Imagine with all those hormones and physical stress it's not surprising that it can throw you off. Post-partum depression and struggles, just like ANY anxiety struggles are nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. I think we, as people, often view our struggles unfairly because we look around us and see everyone seemingly doing so well. Yet as you say yourself others have little to no idea what you are going through!

Anxiety and stress can throw us off physically as well as mentally. Since you are concerned about how you are feeling your first step should be your doctor. That will help you rule out any other problems and from there you could start seeing a therapist to address your anxiety and panic.

There are some good books out there that you can use to address your anxiety too. I've found "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" useful. Doing a search for anxiety books on Amazon would be good too. Also there is the Anxiety Center link at the top of these forum pages that lists some good resources.

Thank you so much. I reallu appreciate it. It feels good to let this out and talk about it. I almost feel lile that was the first step. I actually have a dr appointment next week. I think its time that I recieve some help. Another quick question? What medications are people usually put on to treat anxiety? I get nervous taking pills.

There are two types of drugs that are used for the most part in addressing anxiety. For long term relief the first choice is SSRI class drugs like Prozac, Celexa or Lexapro. These are also used in other related disorders like depression and OCD. They may take up to a few weeks to become fully effective, but generally are well tolerated with little or no side effects in most people. Finding the right one may take time as some people may respond well to one and not another.

The second set of drugs used to address anxiety in most cases are benzodiazepines like Xanax or Klonopin. These are generally used for treating acute anxiety spikes or stronger anxiety symptoms. These are given in lower doses as they can be habit forming over long term use and have some withdrawal symptoms if one uses them long term if not slowly tapered off.

It's not uncommon to treat anxiety using a combination of drugs. I for example take Celexa regularly and have a Klonopin prescription for acute spikes that I can take as needed.

Many people have concerns about taking pills and that's ok. You should also discuss therapy with your doctor. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has been shown to be highly effective in treating anxiety disorders and in time you might not need medication to manage your symptoms.

Something else that might help is journaling. I know that writing down my thoughts can be a big relief for me.

I hope your Drs appointment goes well and congrats on taking the first steps in your recovery.

Thank you so much. I reallu appreciate it. It feels good to let this out and talk about it. I almost feel lile that was the first step. I actually have a dr appointment next week. I think its time that I recieve some help. Another quick question? What medications are people usually put on to treat anxiety? I get nervous taking pills.

I was feeeling the exact same way. Always dizy and at the doctor thinking it had to be my ears. Finally he said maybe it's anxiety. He told me to get some exercise and gave me a few Ativan. Easier said then done. I had a 6 month old and 2 year old. We would walk as much as I could. Finally I decided to see someone who could help me more. My psychiatrist is amazing. He gave me a higher dose of Ativan for when I needed it and out me on Lexapro. Within a few weeks I wasn't dizzy and my shortness of breathe went away.

Thank you so much for replying to my blog. I'm always so nervous something serious is wrong with me. Its nice to know I'm not the only one dealing with this. Makes me feel like there might actually be an end to all of this. I forget what its like to feel normal.